Gambling Articles
Forfeiture of Winnings for Self-Excluded Patrons
11 December 2012
The media has recently reported that the NSW Government is considering amendments to the gaming machine laws which will legislate for sanctions to be imposed against self-excluded patrons who breach their exclusions. BetSafe first proposed this sanction in 1998 and has been lobbying federal Governments to legislate such a sanction. more
Can Naltrexone Help Problem Gamblers?
6 December 2011
Gambling researchers have identified Naltrexone as providing potential benefits to the small group of problem gamblers for whom conventional treatment has not worked. more
How Do Gaming Machines Work?
6 June 2011
The most important component of a gaming machine is the Random Number Generator. This is part of the internal computer of the machine which generates random numbers. This is important because it is the random numbers that are translated into the random outcomes of the machine when you press the play button. Each time you press the button, the outcome is completely random. It doesn’t matter what the previous outcomes of the gaming machine were, each button push is completely independent. more
Canberra Labor Club wins Responsible Gaming Award
21 May 2011
Canberra Labor Club has won the 2011 Clubs ACT Responsible Gaming and Gaming Facility Award for the second year in a row. The four Canberra Labor Club Group venues are the only ACT based gaming venues to be members of the BetSafe program. The Canberra Labor Club has been a member of the BetSafe program since 2001, well before the legislated responsible gambling provisions were introduced in the ACT in 2004. BetSafe congratulates the Canberra Labor Club on this award and also on taking out the top prize, the ACT Club of the Year. more
BetSafe Online Self-Exclusion
23 November 2010
BetSafe has launched a facility that will enable problem gamblers to exclude from up to 10 clubs and hotels in NSW without having to attend a face-to-face meeting. more
What is Pre-Commitment?
6 September 2010
There has been much recent public discussion about gaming machine pre-commitment in the media. This article explains what is meant by 'pre-commitment' and provides a simple description of how it works and some of the issues. more
Productivity Commission Final Report
28 June 2010
The Productivity Commission’s final report was released on 23 June 2010. more
Parkinson's Disease and Gambling
23 February 2010
The treatment of Parkinson’s Disease has caused some patients to develop serious gambling problems. more
Duty of Care
1 February 2010
Two recent court cases have clarified the attitude of Australian courts to claims for compensation for where harm has been suffered from excessive gambling and alcohol consumption. more
Productivity Commission Draft Report
1 November 2009
The Productivity Commission of Australia is currently undertaking a review of Gambling in Australia with an emphasis on responsible gambling and reducing the cost of problem gambling to Australia. The draft report was released on 21 October 2009. more
Are gaming machines rigged?
20 July 2009
Gaming machines are regulated to a surprising degree, and governments vigorously scrutinise their operation. Clubs, hotels and casinos that operate gaming machines are required to provide much information to government about their operation. more
The Productivity Commission Inquiry – what’s it all about?
9 April 2009
The Productivity Commission will investigate the many changes to the gambling environment over the last decade, including the growth of internet and sports betting, significant responsible gambling measures, changes to taxation, smoking restrictions and more. more
Free Cash to Gamble
9 February 2009
In recent months Australia has been flooded with advertisements offering free cash to gamble with online bookmakers and sports betting agencies. A glance at the internet brings further offers of free cash from online casinos based offshore in the Caribbean and other places. more
More About Gaming Venue Employees
16 December 2008
Fresh research by Associate Professor Nerilee Hing of Southern Cross University has revealed the extent of gambling problems among gaming venue staff. Professor Hing surveyed 511 Queensland casino, club and hotel staff about their participation in gambling activities. They were also tested for gambling problems. The research revealed that gambling activity among gaming venue staff is high and so is the level of problem gambling. more
NSW Gaming Machines Amendment Bill 2008
1 November 2008
The NSW government has introduced legislation into Parliament intended to strengthen sustainability of the NSW registered club industry, while at the same time minimising the adverse effects of problem gambling. more
Third Party Exclusion
28 October 2008
Recent media reports regarding third party exclusions have generated much debate. The concept of third party exclusion allows family members and/or friends (the third party) of problem gamblers the right to apply for their loved one's exclusion from gambling venues in order to prevent an escalation of their gambling. more
Associated Addictions & Disorders
13 October 2008
Problem gambling can be difficult to manage and that difficulty is exacerbated if the gambler also has an associated alcohol or drug addiction or mental health problem. It has been suggested that as many as 1 in 5 problem gamblers in Australia also have a problem with alcohol dependency. more
Senate Inquiry into Gaming Machines
22 September 2008
Family First Senator Steve Fielding has introduced 2 bills into Federal Parliament seeking to dramatically restrict the gaming machine industry in Australia. When introducing the first Bill in February 2008, Senator Fielding "declared war on poker machines" with "a bold new plan that will see pokies phased out of pubs and clubs and restricted to racetracks and casinos." more
Gaming Venues Employees with Gambling Problems
2 September 2008
It has long been known that gaming venue staff are at greater risk of developing gambling problems than the general population. But why is this? more
How can Financial Counselling Help?
1 July 2008
It is common for problem gamblers to get into difficulties with debt. This can also cause problems for their families. How can financial counselling help? How does financial counselling differ from problem gambling counselling? Where can you find a financial counselling service in your area? more
Developments in Responsible Gambling
7 May 2008
In the state of NSW, a statutory 5 year review of the Gaming Machines Act was completed and tabled in Parliament. We take a look at some of the proposed ammendments in addition to initiatives that have been proposed and implemented in various States as well as at a Federal level. more
What is Responsible Gambling?
13 February 2008
Unfortunately about 2.1% of adult Australians have problems with their gambling. These problems are usually spending more money than they can afford or spending too much time gambling. The concept of Responsible Gambling encompasses the range of strategies developed to reduce and respond to problem gambling. more
Changes to the NSW Gaming Machines Act
10 December 2007
The NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing has recently released a 5-year report on the Gaming Machines Act 2001. The government has responded positively to recommendations made by a range of stakeholders including BetSafe. The report recommends some important changes to gaming machine laws in NSW. more
Has the incidence of problem gambling really decreased?
19 October 2007
There have been a number of recent reports in the media which have suggested that the incidence of problem gambling in NSW has decreased by a significant amount. The basis of these claims is a comparison of two studies which were endorsed by the federal and state governments. So has the incidence of problem gambling really decreased? more
Responsible Gambling Interventions: Helpful or Hype?
1 October 2007
There has been a lot of media coverage recently surrounding the issue of gambling and problem gambling. It has been turned into a political issue by the Federal parties who are jostling for vital votes and lobby groups with their own agendas trying to sway public opinion. more
Problem Gambling Tests
1 September 2007
There are a number of different ways in which governments and problem gambling counsellors test people to see if they have a gambling problem. Tests usually incorporate mental health issues, economic issues and social questions. more
Do you have a problem gambler in your family?
1 August 2007
How to determine whether a family member or friend may have a gambling problem. Outline of some practical strategies that can be used to help problem gamblers. more
What is Gambling Counselling?
1 July 2007
Gambling counselling is a modern form of treatment that enables a person with gambling problems to understand and take steps to overcome their problems with the assistance of a professional counsellor. more
What is Self Exclusion?
1 June 2007
Self exclusion is a responsible gambling measure that assists the recovery of problem gamblers and a preventative measure for those who have periodic difficulties controlling their gambling expenditure. The problem gambler agrees to keep out of the gambling venue and the gambling venue agrees to assist the gambler to keep out. more
What is Problem Gambling?
1 May 2007
Most Australians find gambling to be a harmless pastime. However, a few gamblers are unable to keep their gambling under control and cause problems for themselves and others. These problems may become very serious for some. more